Fashion trends are known to be cyclical, which means they come and go regularly. In the past, there has typically been a 20-year rule, where trends often repeat themselves after 20 years, although with the rise of social media, fashion forecasters are seeing trends occur more frequently and older styles are coming back earlier. While there are some styles that we gladly welcome back, others we hope will remain a memory. Like these ’80s fashions that should have stayed there.
You might have rocked leggings over your acid-washed jeans back in the day while riding your bike to the arcade but today you pull on your wide-legged jeans and can’t imagine anything else. But the time for the ’80s to jump back into the spotlight has come. You may not have your boxy, oversized, blazer with the shoulder pads anymore, but stores at the mall will have plenty to offer.
To compile this list of ’80s fashions that should have stayed there., 24/7 Tempo consulted several fashion-centered sources. These include Elle, Who What Wear, and Vogue. (These are trends we want to go out of style.)
Shoulder Pads
Shoulder pads were part of the power-dressing craze of the 1980s. They lent an air of command to outfits, particularly to women’s suits. In recent years, in part due to current female empowerment movements, shoulder pads have started to make a return, along with power suits.
Oversized Blazers
Another element of ’80s power dressing was the oversized blazer. The aim was to find the biggest blazer that you could find and use it to dominate your outfit. Today, many offices encourage their employees to dress more casually and many people work from home, so while you wouldn’t think this look would come back, this is another trend on the rise for the 2025 fashion season.
Leopard Print
Leopardskin prints were very popular in the 1980s and throughout the decades since have enjoyed multiple resurgences of popularity. Even though most of these fabrics were not the skin of leopards, it still has connotations of using animals and is considered a polarizing print. Yet, it is in the fashion forecast for 2025.
Neon Fabrics
You almost needed sunglasses in the 1980s to shield your eyes from the bright vibrant colors. The louder the garment the better. The trend in more recent years has been for more subtle tones and earth shades but even this attack on the eyes is making its way back to the fashion world.
Denim
Denim as a fabric never goes out of fashion. However, the same cannot be said of denim shirts. They were a hugely popular fashion item in the 1980s, worn by both men and women. They have started to crop up once again, although perhaps not to the same level of popularity as previous years.
Baggy Shirts
Baggy shirts may be comfortable but they are not very practical. They get in the way of what you are doing. Males and females adopted baggy shirts in the 1980s – often tucked into tight skirts and trousers. And while tight clothing has been more fashionable today, what’s old is new again and baggy clothing has made a return in recent years.
Baggy Pants
If you were not wearing a baggy shirt in the 1980s, you were wearing baggy pants. At that time, having ill-fitting pants gave an air of confidence and swagger. In the 2020s, there are lots of different styles of pants including bootleg or straight leg but very baggy styles have started to make their return.
Polka Dots
Looking cute was seen as a good thing in the 1980s and polka dot patterns were a big part of that. The pattern could be paired with brightly colored matching clothing and gave a fresh and innocent vibe. But polka dots, perhaps best left in the past, are having their moment and have been featured in many designer collections.
Acid Wash Jeans
Ever since denim became a staple fashion item, we have tried to do different things with it. It’s been dyed, distressed, bleached, ripped, and stone-washed. The 1980s had a unique approach to designing denim jeans – it was called acid washing. The blotchy pattern does not appeal to everyone and although it is having a major resurgence with big fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Gucci highlighting it, perhaps it doesn’t deserve a return.
Leg Warmers
Leg warmers are one of those pointless fashion items that no one could work out in. They may provide a bit of warmth but only to your lower leg and ankles. Nothing that a thick pair of socks could not provide. They originated as dance wear but soon every fashionable 1980s youth was wearing them. You still occasionally see them but usually as part of fancy dress or costumes.